“You gonna tell me what that was about?” I asked, when the silence stretched on between us.

He bowed his head slightly. “Our werewolves instinct is to kill, but when the fight is over and we shift back into our human form, we have to find way to deal with the guilt of the lives we took.”

My heart ached at the sadness in his voice and I wanted to help him carry the burden. I shifted off the bed and stood before him. He lifted his eyes to meet mine.

“Physical pain helps me deal with it, it blocks out the emotions so I can breathe.”

I hated that he had to cause himself pain to deal with this. He was responsible for keeping so many people safe, yet it burdened him. I was finding out that

“You saved me,” I whispered, feeling the rawness of what had nearly happened when my father had dragged me away. I had been so close to death. I couldn’t think of what could have happened or would have happened if Maverick hadn’t saved me and killed my father. “My father might not have planned to kill me but he would have forced me into a life that would have chipped away at me until there was nothing.”

“I don’t regret it, I would do it again in a heartbeat.” His voice was heavy.

I touched his arm. “You set me free.”

Our eyes held, there was pain in the depths of his.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, I was filled with so much emotion it was difficult to express into words.

“Even though you knew it would weigh heavy on your shoulders, you still took it on. You did that to protect me so I wouldn’t have to struggle with the burden.” Tears brimmed my eyelids. I swallowed hard.

“I would have done it a thousand times,” he declared. I have never loved him more but I hated that I had brought this onto him. It was my family, my past. I had only added to his burden. “You’ve never had to take a life and I’ll do everything I can to make sure you never have to.”

I wrapped my arms around him holding his stiff body before he moved to hug me.

“You are mine Alexandria, mine to protect, to love, to cherish.” He put a hand to the nape of my neck as I leaned my head against his chest.

I looked to him. “As you are mine Maverick, to love, protect and cherish.”

The words spoken like vows.

“I love you,” I whispered to him, needing to put into words how he made me feel.

It wasn’t just the chemistry that stirred when he was near.

“I love you too,” he murmured, deep with emotion. He paused. “I will do whatever it takes to ensure what happened to my father doesn’t happen to me. I would never hurt you Alexandria. If it takes some pain to suppress it, it is worth it.”

I pulled away to look into his eyes. “You are not your father.”

“There is no way to know for sure.” He spoke the words softly but I refused to believe this man who had put his life on the line to protect me would be capable of that.

I frowned, shaking my head. “I do.” I knew he was a good guy with a lot of responsibility which most people couldn’t handle but he seemed to handle it with ease.

He sighed. “My father loved my mother. We were all stunned by what happened. There were no signs.”

I refused to believe that this man, the one I loved, was capable of doing such an horrific thing.

“Look what you did to save me Maverick. You took on certain death to protect me. That’s not the actions of a man who would take my life or harm me in anyway.”

I touched his face, holding his gaze, willing him to believe me but I could see the doubt.

“There was no pre warning to what happened. One day my father was fine and the next day my parents were dead.”

I took his hands into mine.

“I won’t let that happen.” I stared deep into his eyes.

I could tell he was wavering.

“I just want you to be aware of it so if…if something…”

I rested my fingers against his lips. “It won’t happen.” I refused to believe he had it in him.

“It happens more often than you think,” he warned.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“It’s what happened to Kane’s father.”

“He killed Kane’s mom?”

He shook his head. “No he tried to kill Kane.”

That was awful.

“We are in this together Maverick. You were strong for me, I’ll be strong for you.”

I had never been one for loyalty but I would walk through fire for him, in a heartbeat.

His eyes softened. “You are amazing considering everything you’ve been through.”

I lifted a shoulder and dropped it. “I was in a bad place when our paths crossed Maverick. I was in self destructive mode, looking for trouble and I believe it would have found me. My mouth would have eventually been my downfall.”

I didn’t want to think where I would be if I hadn’t met him. Now that I had him in my life, I couldn’t imagine it without him.

I released the a deep emotional breath. “You didn’t just save me from my evil family. You saved me from myself.” I took a shaky breath, feeling more emotional. This man brought out the deepest emotions that I usually shied away from.

“I’m more optimistic about the future. You did that, you changed me. And for the better.” The change was so monumental I barely recognized the person I had been before this had all started.

“I wasn’t living until I found you. There was a part of me that was dormant and waiting for you. Now that it’s been awakened, I feel whole.”

I touched my hand to his chest, his skin was warm under my hand. I felt a tremor of calm pass through me. He brought me peace.

“Same.”

He lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me. I moved my hand to his neck, moving my hand to curl into his hair at the nape of neck.

“When you touch me, I can’t think of anything else,” I whispered when he broke the kiss.

“Same,” he breathed.

He held me, and I closed my eyes savoring his touch. I wanted to stay in the moment.

He kissed my forehead gently. “No more running off trying to be the hero.”

I nodded, know that it had been rash, but I had been so desperate.

“I just wanted to protect you, the same way you wanted to protect me.” I released a long emotional breath, running my finger across his collar bone. “I had finally found something I couldn’t live without.”

His arms tightened around me. “I get it but I can’t be the Alpha if I’m worrying about you. Do you understand?”

My finger still and I nodded. I had developed a new found respect for him after seeing him handle the dire situation with my father. Even Kane. They might be young but you could see the experience they had gained when I watched them against our enemies.

“Yeah,” I murmured. “I would do anything for you.”

His mouth tipped up in a half smile. “Anything?”

“Anything,” I breathed.

He leaned down to join our mouth and he kissed me. “I have a few ideas.”

I smiled and linked my hands around his neck. He lifted me by the waist and I wrapped my legs around him.

I kissed him hard, needing him desperately.

In a flurry of actions, our clothes were discarded and he covered my body with his.

I would never tire of this. My heart warmed as he gently kissed me as he sheathed himself in my heat. I gasped as he joined our bodies and our hearts.

After as we lay intertwined, I looked to him as I rested my chin on my arm that lay across his chest.

“I never thought I would ever feel like this,” I whispered.

He raised an eye brow.

“So happy.” I sighed.

“I intend to keep you happy Alexandria.”

This time when he said my name it didn’t hold the pain from my past. This time it held all the hope I had for our future.

I kissed him.